Frame side restricting device for sewing frame

ABSTRACT

A restricting member is positioned above a machine table but beneath a sewing frame movable in X and Y directions on a sewing machine. The restricting member is connected to the sewing frame in such a manner that it moves in the Y direction together with the sewing frame but does not follow movement of the sewing frame in the X direction. The restricting member engages with two sides of the sewing frame, extending in the X direction, so as to maintain at a predetermined interval in the Y direction between the two sides. A guide member is provided on the upper surface of the table and slidably guides the restricting member in the Y direction. For example, the guide member has a groove-like recessed portion formed therein to open upward, and the restricting member is received in the groove-like recessed portion and slidable along the recessed portion.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a frame side restricting device for a sewing frame (sewing-frame-side restricting device) for preventing deformation of the sewing frame retaining thereon a sewing workpiece on a sewing machine.

BACKGROUND ART

Among the conventionally-known embroidery sewing machines are ones in which a rectangular embroidery frame for retaining thereon an embroidering fabric (i.e., fabric to be embroidered) is provided on a machine table for movement in X and Y directions, and in which the embroidery frame is driven in the X and Y directions by activation of X-direction and Y-direction drive mechanisms, respectively. Some of such embroidery sewing machines include a restricting member for limiting or restricting an interval between a front end section (a front transverse frame side located on a front side in the Y direction) and a rear end section (a rear transverse side (i.e., rear transverse frame side located on a rear side in the Y direction) of the rectangular embroidery frame in order to prevent the front and rear end sections and hence the embroidery frame from deforming by being pulled by an embroidering fabric as the embroidery proceeds.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication HEI-05-163660 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Literature 1”) discloses an example of an embroidery sewing machine of the aforementioned type. In the embroidery sewing machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, pluralities of X-direction and Y-direction drive mechanisms are disposed on the underside of the machine table. Each of the X-direction drive mechanisms includes an X moving member (referred to as “fixed plate” in Patent Literature 1) reciprocally drivable in the X direction by a drive motor, while each of the Y-direction drive mechanisms includes a Y moving member reciprocally drivable in the Y direction by a drive motor. Further, an X-side base disposed on the machine table is fixed to the X moving member of the X-direction drive mechanism, while a Y-side base disposed on the machine table is fixed to the Y moving member of the Y-direction drive mechanism. A right side section (i.e., a vertical frame side located on the right side in the X direction) of the embroidery frame is connected to the X-side base in such a manner that the right side section is driven in the X direction integrally or together with the X-side base and driven in the Y direction relative to the X-side base. A rear end section (i.e., a rea transverse frame side located on the rear side in the Y direction) of the embroidery frame is connected to the Y-side base in such a manner that the rear end section is driven in the Y direction integrally or together with the Y-side base and driven in the X direction relative to the Y-side base. In this manner, the embroidery frame is drivable in the X and Y directions respectively by the X-direction drive mechanism and the Y-direction drive mechanism.

Further, in the embroidery sewing machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a support mechanism is provided in front of a middle one of the Y-direction drive mechanisms, and this support mechanism includes guide rails and a movable plate that is movable in the Y direction along the guide rails. Note that, although not particularly disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the support mechanism includes a support base fixing thereto the guide rails. The movable plate has four rolling elements so that the movable plate can move by the rolling elements rollingly moving along the guide rails. One roller is rotatably provided on the upper surface of the movable plate, and this roller projects on the upper surface of the machine table through an opening formed in a table cover fixed above the support mechanism. The movable plate is connected to the front end section of the embroidery frame in such a manner that, via the roller, the movable plate is driven in the Y direction integrally or together with the front end section of the embroidery frame and driven in the X direction relative to the front end section of the embroidery frame. The movable plate is connected to the Y moving member by a connection plate, so that the movable plate can be reciprocally driven in the Y direction together with the connection plate. By an interval between the Y moving member and the movable plate being restricted by the connection plate, the interval between the embroidery frame's front end section and the embroidery frame's rear end section connected to the Y-side base is restricted, so that deformation of the embroidery frame can be prevented.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication 2007-61213 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Literature 2”) discloses another example of an embroidery sewing machine of the aforementioned type. In the embroidery sewing machine disclosed in Patent Literature 2, a base elongated in the X direction is provided on the machine table in such a manner that it is movable in the Y direction, and this base is connected at its left and right ends to a Y-direction drive mechanism provided on the underside of the machine table. A connection member movable in the X direction is mounted to the base, and this connection member is driven by an X-direction drive mechanism, provided on the base, in the X direction relative to the base and driven in the Y direction together with the movement, in the Y direction, of the base. The embroidery frame is connected at its rear end section (a rear transverse frame side located on a rear side in the Y direction) so that it is mounted on a machine body in a cantilevered fashion so as to extend along and generally parallel to the upper surface of the machine table. In this manner, the embroidery frame is movable in both of the X and Y directions together with the movement, in the X and Y directions, of the connection member.

Further, in the embroidery sewing machine disclosed in Patent Literature 2, a frame assisting tool that is a restricting member for restricting an interval between the front and rear end sections of the embroidery frame is provided between the front and rear end sections of the embroidery frame. This frame assisting tool, which is constructed to be bendable via a hinge member, can be attached to the embroidery frame by the hinge member being extended straight and detached from the embroidery frame by the hinge member being bent. The interval between the front and rear end sections of the embroidery frame is restricted by the frame assisting tool, so that deformation of the embroidery frame can be prevented.

In the above-discussed embroidery sewing machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the support mechanism is provided in front of the middle Y-direction drive mechanism, and the movable plate of the support mechanism and the Y moving member of the Y-direction drive mechanism are interconnected by the connection plate. The interval between the front and rear end sections of the embroidery frame can be restricted by the connection plate restricting the interval between the movable plate and the Y moving member. Such arrangements can reliably prevent deformation of the embroidery frame. However, because the support mechanism includes the support base, the guide rails and the movable plate having the four rolling elements and because the table cover is fixed above the support mechanism, the embroidery sewing machine is considerably complicated in construction and has a large number of necessary component parts. Thus, not only a high manufacturing cost of the embroidery sewing machine would be required, but also operation for assembling the embroidery sewing machine would require a long time.

On the other hand, the frame assisting tool in the embroidery sewing machine disclosed in Patent Literature 2 is simple in construction and low in cost. However, the frame assisting tool has to be detached and attached each time an embroidering fabric is to be replaced with another, which would require much time and labor. Further, the frame assisting tool is moved in the X direction as well together with the embroidery frame. Thus, when embroidery is to be performed on an entire sewable range of the embroidering fabric, and once the embroidery proceeds to a given halfway position, the mounted position of the frame assisting tool has to be changed to another position so as to prevent the frame assisting tool from disturbing a sewing needle, and then the remaining embroidery has to be resumed. Such operation would be cumbersome and require much time and labor.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present invention to simplify a necessary construction for preventing deformation of the sewing frame retaining thereon an embroidering fabric and eliminate not only a need for time and labor in replacing the embroidering fabric but also a need for cumbersome position changing operation.

In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a sewing-frame-side restricting device for preventing deformation of a sewing frame (7) movable in X and Y directions on a sewing machine, which comprises: a restricting member (11) disposed beneath the sewing frame (7) but above a machine table (2), the restricting member (11) being connected to the sewing frame (7) in such a manner that the restricting member (11) moves in a Y direction together with the sewing frame (7) but does not follow movement, in a X direction, of the sewing frame (7), the restricting member (11) engaging with two sides of the sewing frame (7), extending in the X direction, so as to maintain a predetermined interval in the Y direction between the two sides of the sewing frame (7); and a guide member (10) provided on the upper surface of the machine table (2), the guide member (10) guiding the restricting member (11) in such a manner that the restricting member (11) is slidable in the Y direction along the guide member (10). Note that the same reference numerals and characters as used for various constituent elements of a later-described embodiment of the present invention are indicated in parentheses in the summary below for ease of understanding.

According to the present invention, the restricting member (11) is disposed beneath the sewing frame (7) but above the machine table (2). Also, the restricting member (11) is connected to the sewing frame (7) in such a manner that the restricting member (11) moves in the Y direction together with the sewing frame (7) but does not follow movement, in the X direction, of the sewing frame (7). Further, the restricting member (11) engages with the two sides of the sewing frame (7), extending in the X direction, so as to maintain a predetermined interval in the Y direction between the two sides of the sewing frame (7). With such arrangements, unwanted deformation, in the Y direction, of the sewing frame (7) can be prevented. Further, the restricting member disposed beneath the sewing frame is guided by the guide member (10) on the upper surface of the machine table, the sewing-frame-side restricting device is simple in construction and has a small number of necessary components parts, so that necessary manufacturing cost and time for assembling the sewing-frame-side restricting device can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, the aforementioned arrangements can not only eliminate the need for detaching and attaching the restricting member each time a sewing fabric retained on the sewing frame is to be replaced, but also reduce time and labor for the replacement of the sewing fabric. Besides, because the restricting member does not move in the X direction, operation for changing the position of the restricting member need not be performed when sewing is to be performed on an entire sewable range of the fabric.

As an example, the restricting member (10) is a rigid elongated member and includes restricting elements (13, 16) provided on positions of the elongated member corresponding to respective ones of the two sides of the sewing frame. Further, the restricting elements (13, 16) engage with the respective ones of the two sides of the sewing frame (7) in such a manner that the restricting elements are movable in the X direction relative to the two sides of the sewing frame.

As an example, the guide member (10) includes a portion for restricting movement, in the X direction, of the restricting member (11). Further, as an example, the guide member (10) defines a groove-like recessed portion in the upper surface of the machine table (2), and the restricting member (11) is received in the groove-like recessed portion and slidable along the groove-like recessed portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embroidery sewing machine to which is applied an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view of a base and an embroidery frame (sewing frame) mounted on the base.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a sewing-frame-side restricting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sewing-frame-side restricting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinbelow, an embroidery sewing machine for embroidering an embroidering fabric retained on an embroidery frame will be described as an example of a sewing machine to which the present invention is applicable. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention is applicable not only to embroidery sewing machines but also to sewing machines where a sewing frame retaining thereon a sewing fabric is provided for movement in X and Y directions.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embroidery sewing machine, so-called a cylinder-type embroidery sewing machine, which is capable of embroidering sheet-shaped original fabrics, bag-shaped or cylindrically-shaped items, such as sweat shirts and T shirts, and hats and caps by switching among dedicated embroidery frames as necessary. In the figure, reference numeral 1 represents a machine frame, 2 a machine table having a front table 2 a movable up and down, 3 a machine head, 4 a cylinder head including a rotary hook of a well-known construction, and 5 a needle plate. Further, reference numeral 6 represents a base provided on the machine table 2 and elongated in the X direction, and the base 6 is connected at its opposite ends to a not-shown Y-direction drive mechanism provided beneath the machine table 2. Namely, the base 6 is a Y moving member drivable by the Y-direction drive mechanism in the Y direction. Further, a rectangular embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 for retaining thereon a sheet-shaped original fabric (embroidering fabric) is detachably mounted to the base 6 via a later-described connection member 8. Note that, when the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 is mounted, the front table 2 a is set at a same height as a fixed section of the machine table 2.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view of the base 6 and the embroidery frame 7. The base 6 has a not-shown X-direction drive mechanism provided thereon, and the connection member 8 slidable relative to the base 8 in the X direction is connected to the X-direction drive mechanism. Thus, the connection member 8 is movable in the Y direction integrally or together with the base 6 and movable in the X direction relative to the base 6. A rear transverse frame side 7 b located on a rear side, in the Y direction, of the embroidery frame 7 is detachably fixed to the connection member 8, so that the embroidery frame 7 is drivable in the X and Y directions together with the connection member 8. Namely, driving force in the Y direction applied by the Y-direction drive mechanism is transmitted to the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 via the base 6 and the connection member 8, and driving force in the X direction applied by the X-direction drive mechanism is transmitted to the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 via the connection member 8. Note that the term “X direction” is used herein to refer to a horizontal left-right direction of the embroidery sewing machine as viewed from the front of the machine while the term “Y direction” is used herein to refer to a front-rear direction of the embroidery sewing machine.

Next, a description will be given about an embodiment of a sewing-frame side restricting device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the embodiment of the sewing-frame-side restricting device includes restricting members 11 provided on two portions of the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7, and guide members 10 provided on two portions of the upper surface of the machine table 7 in corresponding relation to the restricting members 11. FIG. 3 is a front view of the sewing-frame-side restricting device, which representatively shows one of the restricting members 11 and one of the guide members 10 of the sewing-frame-side restricting device. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sewing-frame-side restricting device, which also representatively shows one of the restricting members 11 and one of the guide members 10 of the sewing-frame-side restricting device. Because the two restricting members 11 are identical to each other in construction and the two guide members 10 corresponding to the restricting members 11 are also identical to each other in construction, only one of the restricting members 11 and only one of the guide members 10 will be described in detail hereinbelow. Note that the sewing-frame-side restricting device of the present invention may alternatively comprise only one restricting member 11 and only one guide member 10 corresponding to the restricting member 11.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the restricting member 11 is a rigid elongated member extending in the Y direction and disposed beneath the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 but above the machine table 2. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the restricting member 11 is fixed to the base 6 by means of mounting screws 15 and movable in the Y direction together with the base 6 (and hence the embroidery frame 7). The vertical restricting member 11 includes restricting elements (i.e., positioning collars 13 and rollers 16) provided on positions thereof corresponding to two sides (front transverse frame side 7 a and rear transverse frame side 7 b) of the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 extending in the X direction. The restricting elements (positioning collars 13 and rollers 16) engage with respective ones of the two frame sides 7 a and 7 b of the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 in such a manner that they are movable in the X direction relative to the two frame sides 7 a and 7 b. With these restricting elements (positioning collars 13 and rollers 16), a predetermined interval can be maintained in the Y direction between the two frame sides (front transverse frame side 7 a and rear transverse frame side 7 b) of the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 extending in the X direction.

The machine table 2 has groove-like recessed portions 9 formed in (two) predetermined portions of the upper surface of the machine table 2 and extending throughout the entire length, in the Y length, of the machine table 2 including the front table 2 a, and the guide member 10 is received in the groove-like recessed portions 9 so as to define a groove-like recessed portion of an upwardly-opening inverted trapezoidal sectional shape. The guide member 10 is divided into two parts at its position corresponding to a rear end portion of the front table 2 a in such a manner that the front table 2 a is movable up and down. Further, the restricting member 11 is received in the groove-like recessed portion of the guide member 10 in such a manner that it is slidable in the Y direction. The restricting member 11 is formed in an inverted trapezoidal shape corresponding to the upwardly-opening inverted trapezoidal sectional shape of the guide member 10, and by being received in the guide member 10 as above, the restricting member 11 is restricted in its left-right position (in its movement in the X direction) by opposed side wall surfaces of the groove-like recessed portion of the guide member 10. A plurality of slide-promoting tapes 12 are attached to a surface of the restricting member 11 opposed to the groove-like recessed portion of the guide member 10 in such a manner that the restricting member 11 is slidable smoothly. Note, however, that such slide-promoting tapes 12 are not necessarily essential.

The two positioning collars 13 are fixed to a rear portion of the restricting member 11, each of the positioning collars 13 has an engaging groove 13 a formed in its inner peripheral surface, and U-shaped gutters 14 are formed in a front end portion of the base 6 such that the engaging grooves 13 a of the positioning collars 13 are fitted therein. The restricting member 11 is fixed at its rear end portion to a rear end portion of the base 6 by means of the mounting screws 15 with the engaging grooves 13 a of the positioning collars 13 fitted in the U-shaped gutters 14. In this manner, the restricting member 11 is movable in the Y direction together with the base 6. Further, three rollers 16 are provided on and extends upward from a front end portion of the restricting member 11. The restricting member 11 is connected to the front transverse frame side 7 a via these three rollers 16 in such a manner that the restricting member 11 is movable in the Y direction together with the front transverse frame side 7 a of the embroidery frame 7 and movable in the X direction relative to the front transverse frame side 7 a.

With such a restricting member 11 having the positioning collars 13 and the rollers 16 (i.e., restricting elements), an interval between the base 6 and the front transverse frame side 7 a of the embroidery frame 7, in other words, an interval between the rear transverse frame side 7 b fixed to the connection member 8 connected to the base 6 and the front transverse frame side 7 a is restricted to a predetermined interval, so that deformation of the embroidery frame 7 is prevented.

When the embodiment of the embroidery sewing machine should embroider a bag-shaped or cylindrically-shaped item or a hat, the embroidery frame 7 is replaced, as necessary, with another embroidery frame dedicated to the cylindrically-shaped item or the hat. At that time, not only the embroidery frame 7 but also the restricting member 11 is detached. First, the rear transverse frame side 7 b of the embroidery frame 7 is detached from the connection member 8, the front transverse frame side 7 a of the embroidery frame 7 is lifted up to cancel the connection between the front transverse frame side 7 a and the three rollers 16 provided on the front end portion of the restricting member 11. Then, the embroidery frame 7 is detached from the connection member 8. Next, the two mounting screws 15 are detected from the rear end portion of the restricting member 11, and the restricting member 11 is moved toward the front of the machine table 2. Then, the restricting member 11 is detached from the guide member 10 by the two positioning collars 13 being removed from the U-shaped gutters 14. Then, the front table 2 a is moved down, after which the embroidery frame dedicated to the cylindrically-shaped item or the hat is attached to the connection member 8 and the base 6. Note that the embroidery frame 7 is attached to the connection member 8 and the base 6 in an order opposite the aforementioned. With the aforementioned construction of the present invention, detachment and attachment of the restricting member 11 can be facilitated.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the interval, in the Y direction, between the two frame sides (the front transverse frame side 7 a and the rear transverse frame side 7 b) of the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 extending in the X direction is restricted by the restricting member 11 disposed beneath the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7, so that a predetermined interval can be maintained between the two frame sides (the front transverse frame side 7 a and the rear transverse frame side 7 b). Thus, it is possible to prevent deformation of the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7 and thereby prevent deformation or distortion of an embroidery pattern sewn onto a sewing fabric retained on the embroidery frame (sewing frame) 7.

Further, because the restricting member 11 is provided above the machine table 2, the sewing-frame-side restricting device can be simplified in construction, and the number of necessary component parts of the sewing-frame-side restricting device can be reduced. As a result, necessary manufacturing cost and time for assembling the sewing-frame-side restricting device can be minimized.

Further, because the restricting member 11 is provided beneath the embroidery frame 7, it is neither necessary to detach and attach the restricting member 11 each time the sewing fabric is replaced with another one, nor is it necessary to change the position of the restricting member 11 when sewing is to be performed on an entire sewable range of the sewing fabric. Thus, much time and labor is not required for the change.

Whereas the groove-like recessed portion of the guide member 10 has an upwardly-opening inverted trapezoidal sectional shape and the restricting member 11 has an inverted trapezoidal sectional shape in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not so limited. For example, the groove-like recessed portion of the guide member 10 may be formed to have a U sectional shape, and the restricting member 11 may be formed to have a rectangular sectional shape corresponding to the U sectional shape of the guide member 10. Alternatively, the guiding structure of the guide member 10 may be in the form of a rail-shaped protruding portion rather than a groove-like recessed portion, in which case a groove-like recessed portion may be formed in the underside of the restricting member 11 so that the restricting member 11 can be guide by the rail-shaped protruding portion. In another alternative, the groove-like recessed portion defined by the guide member 10 may be formed to project on the upper surface of the table 2. Namely, two rows of side wall ridges may be formed on the upper surface of the table 2 so that the restricting member 11 is placed and guided between the two rows of side wall ridges. In such cases, the rail-shaped protruding portion or the two rows of side wall ridges need not necessarily be formed to extend continuously, and they may be formed to extend intermittently as necessary. In short, it is only necessary that the guide member 10 be shaped in such a manner that the restricting member 11 is slidable in the Y direction along the guide member 10 but restricted in left-right position (i.e., in the X direction) (i.e., has a portion for restricting movement, in the X direction, of the restricting member 11). Note, however, that, depending on the length, in the Y direction, of the embroidery frame 7, i.e. the total length of the restricting member 11, the restricting member 11 need not necessarily be restricted in the left-right position. Therefore, the guide member 10 may be constructed to be merely placed on the upper surface of the machine table and slidable in the Y direction on the upper surface of the machine table 2, without having a particular recessed portion or protruding portion as above.

Further, the basic principles of the present invention may be applied to embroidery sewing machines where the pluralities of the X-direction and Y-direction drive mechanisms are disposed on the underside of the machine table. Among examples of such a type of embroidery sewing machine are the one disclosed in above-described Patent Literature 1 where the X-side and Y-side bases are provided on the machine table, one in which any one of the X-side and Y-side bases is provided on the machine table, and one in which the embroidery frame is connected directly to the X-direction/Y-direction drive mechanism. Note that, in such a case, the sewing-frame-side restricting device is provided on a position displaced laterally in the left-right direction from the Y-direction drive mechanism. 

1. A sewing-frame-side restricting device for preventing deformation of a sewing frame in a sewing machine which includes: the sewing frame; a moving member connected to the sewing frame so that the sewing frame is movable in X and Y directions, and a drive mechanism configured to drive the moving member in the X and Y directions, said sewing-frame-side restricting device comprising: a restricting member disposed beneath the sewing frame but above a machine table (2), said restricting member being connected to the sewing frame in such a manner that said restricting member moves in the Y direction together with the sewing frame but does not follow movement, in the X direction, of the sewing frame, said restricting member engaging with two sides of the sewing frame, extending in the X direction, so as to maintain a predetermined interval in the Y direction between the two sides of the sewing frame; and a guide member provided on an upper surface of the machine table, said guide member guiding said restricting member in such a manner that said restricting member is slidable in the Y direction along said guide member.
 2. The sewing-frame-side restricting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said restricting member is a rigid elongated member and includes restricting elements provided on positions of the elongated member corresponding to respective ones of the two sides of the sewing frame, and wherein said restricting elements engage with the respective ones of the two sides of the sewing frame in such a manner that said restricting elements are movable in the X direction relative to the two sides of the sewing frame.
 3. The sewing-frame-side restricting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide member includes a portion for restricting movement, in the X direction, of said restricting member.
 4. The sewing-frame-side restricting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide member defines a groove-like recessed portion in the upper surface of the machine table, and said restricting member is received in the groove-like recessed portion and slidable along the groove-like recessed portion.
 5. The sewing-frame-side restricting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said guide member includes a portion for restricting movement, in the X direction, of said restricting member.
 6. The sewing-frame-side restricting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said guide member defines a groove-like recessed portion in the upper surface of the machine table, and said restricting member is received in the groove-like recessed portion and slidable along the groove-like recessed portion. 